Bloom turning apparatus



March 25, 1947. w. s. PANDOF'F BLOOM TURNING APPARATUS A Filed Dec. 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Pa njo/ QLM March 25, 1947. w. s. PANDOFF BLOOM TURNING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 No wa Tbm LT F gmwm Pa; 72 30 1/ Elma/M194 March .25, 1947. w. s. PANDOFF March 25, 1947. w. s. PANDOFF BLOOM TURNING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet. 4

Patented Mar. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f 2,418,091 BLOOM TURNING APPARATUS William S. Pandoff, Canton, Ohio Application December 29, 1944, Serial No. 570,454

3 Claims.

turning movement from one face to another along a supporting bed to afford inspection and cleaning.

One of themethods at present employed for handling these blooms is to discharge the bloom from a chipping machine onto a bed consisting of a pair of wooden timbers spaced apart in parallel relation and adjacent the ends of the bloom for supporting the latter. The bloom is heavy and weighs about two to two and a half tons. After the bloom is thus placed upon the bed it is turned in a manner to successively present its different faces for inspection and any slag or scrap adhering thereto is chipped ofi by hand operation. To turn these heavy blooms, special hand tools in the form of clamps are provided which grip both ends of the bloom at a time and by which the bloom is turned to expose its different faces. Two men are required to operate each tool and one tool is required at each end of a bloom to facilitate handling. Even under these conditions the work is arduous and'very dangerous due to the fact that the tools sometimes grip the bloom and whirl around with the latter striking the men if they are not alert. 7

With the foregoing disadvantages in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanical device for turning a bloom more efficiently and without the use of special hand tools, in a manner to successively present its different faces for inspection and cleaning.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bloom turning device of the type referred to so constructed and arranged that one person can operate the same with like efiiciency and without the liability of injury to the operator. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bloom turning device of the type referred to, which embodies means for turning the bloom in a like manner after the inspection and cleaning operations to effect further movement along the bed to a remote point for further use.

Another'object of the present invention is to provide an improved bloom turning device of the type referred to which embodies selectively operable means affording operation in opposite directions so that the bloom may be moved in either direction along the bed and without any changes in structure. l f

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bloom turning device of the type referred to which is designed to handle blooms of different sizes and lengths without any modification of the structure.

Another object of the present provide an improved bloom turning device of the type referred to'which is simple in construction, efiicient and safe in operation,and inexpensive to manufacture. V

With the objects above indicated and the objects hereinafter explained in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring tothe drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the bloom turning device embodying the present invention but with the floor removed to more clearly show the relative positions of the parts;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the bloom turning device shown in Figure 1, but with the floor in place and a bloom is shown in dot and das lines indicating two different positions during its turning;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the bloom turning device shown in Figure 2 but on an enlarged scale, and looking from the motor end;

Figured is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l-4 of Figure 3 and showing the upper extreme position of the angle member, a bloom also being shown in dot and dash lines indicating three different positions during its turning;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and showing further details of the structure;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the control devices for the electric motor and piston; V

Figure '7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the locating indicator on the end of the piston rod;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the locating indicator shown in Figure 7 with a part broken away to show further details of the structure; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the locating indicator shown in Figure 7. y

In the drawings, I have shown a preferred construction of my bloom turning device which is employed for turning blooms in a manner to successively present different faces of the bloom for inspection and cleaning and, additionally; to advance the bloom along the bed.

The bloom, indicated by the reference numeral I5, is of rectangular shape in cross section and invention is to.

as more clearly shown in Figure 3.

. =der to the platform 22. disposed on the inside of the cylinder 2'! and .are 1 provided .in the torece'ive bolts '34 by which the members are E of considerable length and weight. The bloom I5 is disposed for intermittent turning movement upon a bed comprising a pair of wooden timbers l6 spaced apart relatively in parallel relation and of any desirable length for the work intended, as more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The timbers 56, preferably, rest upon a foundation or base ll, of concrete or other suitable material,-. and.between the timbers the foundation is formed with apit l8 extending downwardly to a horizontally disposed lower floor I9, The pit I8 extends substantially throughout the length of the timbers, as more clearly shown in Figure 1, and at one end is provided with a wall or partition 20 which extends transversely of the pit to provide an enclosure for the operating-parts oi the bloom turning device.

A carriage or car 2l'is formed, at its lower portion, .with a horizontally disposed platform 2 2 which .has, aXles23 extending transversely of .thelplatform 'andloc'ated'at the front and back respectively, .asmore clearly shown inFigure 2. The axles are journaled in'bearin'gs 24 and, flanged wheels 25 are,rotatably mounted upon the ends o'fQt'he. axles. Thecarriage or car'Z'i is adapted for. movement along the floor oithe pit and a pair; of 'trackra'ils 26 are secured on the floor [9 in parallel spaced relation in amanner to accommodate the wheels 25 so that the car'may be suitably. guided during its movements along the track inamanner to be later described.

The car-2i .is further provided with a vertically disposed cylinder 21 which has its lower end resting upon .the adjacent face of the platform 22. and the cylinder is formed with an outwardly extending. periphera'llfiange '28 having a plurality of angularly spaced vopenings in alignment with similarly spacedopenings in the platformto rece-ive, bolts -29 :for securely connecting the cylin- A piston 30 isslidably has a piston rod 3| of reduced diameter rigidly @connectedto the piston and extendscentrally up- ..Ward therefrom beyond the upper end of the cylinder, as .more clearly shown in Figure 4. A

,clo'sureorheadmember 32 is disposed on the -.upper endof the cylinder Z'I'and the cylinder is, likewise, provided with an outwardly extending peripheralfiange 33 g which supports the closure member-.32v anda .plurality of aligned openings flange and closure member rigidly connected. The. closure member 32 is provided with a central opening 35through which thepiston rod 3| slides and'a packing gland 36 encircles the piston rod 3| and is adapted to compress .a fiexiblepacking member 3? to effect The cylinder 2? is further provided with an opening '38 which extends through the wall, and communicates with the lower side of .the..piston 30, while an openingt likewise, ,extendsthrough the wall but communicates with the opposite side of the piston, the

openings: beingadapted for. communication with asource oifluid supply soas to efiect movement of,the.piston in the desireddirection for apurto belater. described.

The upper en d of the piston .rod 3i isformed with aflathorizontally disposed face 45, as more clearlyshown in Figures '7, 8 and 9, and an integral extension 4| projects centrally outward from the-.face 40. Anangle member 42, which is .employedtfor engaging the .bloom, has arms lit and extending outwardly at right angles to as will rest securely upon the adjacent .face 40 on the piston rod 3.! for a purpose to be later described.

It is important that the piston rod 3| be secured against rotations with reference to the cylinder 2'! in which it is slidably mounted and any suitable means may be adopted. One simple construction is shown in the drawings which comprises a link 48 having one end pivotally connected to spaced ears 49 secured to andprojecting, upwardly fromthe-closure-member- 32 and its other end pivotally connected to the adjacent end of another link 50. The-other-end of the link 50 is pivotally connected by abolt-Bl which projects through an opening 52 formed in the upperendof the'piston rod and'is removably secured by a nut 53 to prevent axialrotation of the rodbut permitting unrestricted-reciprocation;

A locating 'indicatorid is likewise mounted on g her 55- in a vertical position. The upper .endof the member 55 projects beyond the upperextremity of the angle member and is so positioned that anyobject which'itzstrikes deflects the same about 'its pivotbut is returnedtoits vertical .Jposition by the spring.

Th'e piston rod 31 is, of course, capable of movement in a vertical direction .andbeing prevented from axial rotation, the angle member "421s likewise moved'inunison therewith. The

'dottedlines'in Figure 4show theupper'limit of the movement of the angle memberAZ and the manner in which the bloom has been partially turned.

Some suitablemean's should be provided for moving. the car 2-! along the track and a very effective one-is shown in-thedrawings. The closure-member 32is provided with lateral extensions :58 spaced apartrelatively and disposed in thesame horizontal plane as" that 'of the 'cover member, more clearly shown in Figures 1' and3. An interiorlythreaded nut-likemember-59isprovided with a lateralextension-Gjt which freely 'fits' between"the-extensions 58 Y and all of the extensionsare provided with aligned openings to receive a bolt and nutconnectionfil by which the "nut-likemember 'andhead are swivelly con nected for unitary movement.

An externally threaded shaft-6-2;is suspended in thepit inparallel relation'to'thetrackand theynut-like memberfiil' isthreadably mounted-on theshaft in a-Inanner to effect relative -move-' ment. This threaded arrangement furtherlprevents movement of the car 2 l' in aidirection opposite to that in which the force is applied duringthe elevation of the angle member and the bloom. Sne end of the shaft 62 is freely mounted in an end bearing and hanger member 63, secured on one of the end walls of the pit l'lwhile the other end extends freely through an opening fi l in the partition wall Ell, suitable bushings of any well known type being provided to reduce friction and wear. The other end of the shaft 62 projects beyond the wall 20, as shown in Figure 1, and is freely mounted in a bearing and hanger member be secured on the outer side of the wall Ell. A gear reduction unit 55, of any well known type, is secured to the foundation and has a stub shaft or projecting outwardly beyond the housing and connected through a coupling es with the adjacent end of the threaded shaft 52 in a manner to impart rotation thereto. A second stub shaft 69 projects outwardly beyond the housing but from the other end of the gear train, and is adapted for connection with any desirable power means for effecting rotation of the shaft er in either direction of rotation at a reduced speed. The power means herein shown is an electric reversible motor lb secured to the foundation and having a motor shaft ll projecting outwardly beyond the housing. The motor shaft "ii and the gear reduction shaft 69 are connected together by a coupling 12 in such a manner that the train of gears are adapted for driving rotation in either direction depending upon the direction of rotation of motor. The motor is is electrically connected in a suitable circuit in which operating switches may be mounted in close proximity to the operator in a manner to be later described. 7

Any suitable means may be employed for operating the piston to and the electric motor 19 but a simple and handy arrangement is shown in the drawings. Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 6 a panel board l3 of any desirable size, is preferably mounted for bodily movement so as to afford ready acessibility to the operator as he moves along with the car 2!. The panel 173 of insulating material, has a metal backing member "El-i secured thereto and a pair of stub axles if: having rollers iii thereon adapted for rolling engagement with the upper adjacent face of a horizontally disposed web ii of an I beam 18.

The beam iii is disposed horizontally above the foundation and parallel with the track 26, and laterally thereof at a selected distance a flange is being supported on a pair of pipe standards it to which the flange is welded or otherwise secured. The lower ends of the standards 80 are suitably embedded in the floor to prevent sagging of the beam. The near flange ill of the beam it is in close proximity to the backing plate "M and the upper portion of the flange projects between the plate and rollers. Clamp 82 is secured by a bolt 83 to the backing plate 14 and has an offset portion 84 which engages the lower portion of the flange Bl. This construction prevents accidental removal of the control panel but at the same time affords easy movement on the part of the operator.

As'before stated, it is desirable to mount the operating switches at a position readily accessible to the operator and for this reason a pair of push buttons 8 1 and 35 are suitably mounted in a box 86 which in turn is secured on the outer face of the panel 13. These buttons are connected in the same electrical circuit with the motor it and by depressing one or the other, the

circuit is closed. This starts the motor to running and its direction of operation depends upon' ahead which button ispressed. For operating the pie ton 39, however, air may be employed as shown, and a hand control valve 8'! is suitably mounted in a housing 88. A pair of valve members 89 and 90 are mounted on the outside of the housing stand have hollow extensions 9! and s2 respectively to receive the upper ends of flexible tubes 93 and 9G. The flexible tubes 93 andii l extend downwardly from the panel and pass freely through conduits S5 in the foundation and outwardly at the bottom of the pit H. The lower ends of the tubes 93 and 94 are connected respectively with the openings 33 and 38 in the cylinder to effect communication with the hand control valve. The valve members 89 and 99 are suitably connected with an air supply line and by moving the hand control valve one or the other of the tubes 93 and 94 is placed in communication with the supply line so that the piston is raised or lowered as desired.

To prevent the car 2! from bumping the end wall of the pit ll as it is moved along the tracks, limit switches er are secured on the end walls in alignment with the car platform 22. The switches have rollers 98 slidably mounted on the outside of the switch boxes and control the opening and closing of the switch elements. The limit switches are connected in circuit with the motor ill and control its operation. Switch trip angles 99 are secured to the platform 22 and have projecting ends in alignment with the rollers 98 for shutting off the switch which stops the car before it strikes the end walls.

To afford support to the persons doing inspection and shippers, the pit i8 is covered over a greater portion of its expanse. A plurality of I-beams led and NH ar provided which rest upon the foundation I? and are spaced apart in pairs on opposite sides of the path of movement of the angle member t2, as more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The I-beams ace adjacent the angle member '32 extend in parallel relation over the open pit l8 and have their ends supported on the adjacent end Walls. The ll-beams IEH are disposed just beyond the pit i3 and rest on the foundation throughout their length, the beams IEI being in parallel spaced relation with respect to the beams we. Sheet metal floors Hi2 and I03 extend horizontally over the space between adjacent pairs of beams use and Hill and have their edge portions resting on the upper flanges of the beams to which they are riveted at N14 or otherwise secured. The 1-beams it! are additionally secured to the foundation H by through bolts I05 which extend through both flanges into the concrete or other material of which the foundation is composed. An important condition of the floor construction is that sufiicient space be maintained between the inner adjacent beams Hi0 so that there will be no interference with the vertical movement of the angl member 42 and its longitudinal movement along the pit effected by the guided movement of the car 2|.

In the operation of the bloom turning device illustrated in the drawings, the bloom it has a plurality of angularly arranged connected faces extending along its length and extends across the pit, having its outer end portions resting upon the timbers It as indicated by the dotted line position l5a of the bloom. The car 2! with its piston in lowered position is moved along the track 26 by the closing of the electric circuit to the motor Ill through the medium of one of the push buttons on the traveling panel 13 until the indicator 55 is substantially in linewiththe outside face of the bloom whenit'i's in the positien indicated byi'l c, The operating "motorf'lll is meteorites bythemedi'um or; the other push button, which stoppingflocks the Year T21: in the selected position byrrieans of 'the screw drive.

The piston 36 is'then raised through the medium of the hand control valve 87 on the panel'l3, which establishes communication 'betweenthe source of air supply and the under side of the piston 30 through the flexible tube 94 and raises theang'le member 42'until'i-t engages the adja cent corner portionofthe bloom. Further upward movement ofthe piston effects. a turning movement of the bloom about an edge that remains in engagement with the timbers l5 and finally continues its turning movement through gravity to a positioninwhich' the bloom rests upon its next succeeding face as indicated by b, thus presentingfthe' upper face forIinspection and cleaning as well as advancing it to anew position along the timbers.

'The piston 34} is next lowered through the medium of the hand" control'valve 37 on the panel 73, bymoving'thfe lever in a different direction which first, cuts on" the air supply to the under side of the piston and next, establishes communicationbetween the source of air suppiy and the upper side of the piston through th flexible tube $3. a like lowering. of th angle member 82 until it reaches a position in which the locating indicator is disposed slightly'below the bloom or that position in which the indicatorand angle member were initially. 'When the angle member 42 reaches this position the hand control valve is released and th pi'ston'3il is held against further lowering movement. At this time the car 2i is again moved along] the track 26 by the sam procedure as before explained until it reaches the new position of the bloom and the bloom is again engaged by the upwardly moving angle member 42 which'moves th bloom in'the manner before explained from one face to its next succeeding. This sequence of operations continues until all of thefaces of the bloom have been successively presented for inspection and cleaning and the bloom advanced along the timbers it,

After the bloom has been turned in the manner heretofore explained and no furtherinspection and cleaning are required. the turningof the bloom may be continued to' intermittently ad- Vance the bloom along the timbers it by th'esame sequence of operations until it reaches the end of the pit it where the'b'l'o'oni may be. removed by any suitabledevices and conveyed to any location where it is to be used.

The apparatus is also designed for moving the blooms in the opposite direction along the'timbers it in the manner aforesaid, Which-requires merely the flipping over of the angle member 42 from the position. shown in full lines in Figure 9 to the position shown in'dottedlines in the same view. The reversibility of the electric motor iii provides the necessary driving power for theshaft 62 which may be rotated in the opposite direction by l the mere proper selection of the push button control switch. "This effects movement of the car 2i in the reverse direction but the sequence of operations for engaging and turning the bloom are piecise'ly theisaine as before explained. Inasmuch as the car 12} is moved it [1 which iscoiiered along the track 26 iii'th P lilie facia 1199. he

. st i we- The lowering of the piston results in tioned. at, the ends of the pit for engagementby the trip. ang1es'99 on the car. When the carjl: travelstofeither end 'of'the pit the trip angle engages the roller 98 which opens a switch and disconnects the motor.

While Iihave described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be'limited thereto, inasmuch as changesf'and modifications may be made there? towithutdepartin'g from the spirit of the iiiventio'n as defined in the appended claims' What I claim is: i

1. A turning device for a bloom having angularly. arranged connected faces extending along its length'and disposed for intermittentmove merit from one face to another along a su porn ingbedQthe combination of: a vertically movable angle member adapted for cooperative engage? ment' with an adjacent edge of the bloom and adapted to move the bloom from a position in which one face was in engagement withthe bed to another in which the succeeding facei's in en:- gag'erhent with the bed when said member is moved in an upward direction; a movable rod having, its upper end pivotally connected to the closed end ofisaid angle member for movement therewith and its'lower end securely connected to a piston, said angle member being pivotally mounted to afford a ninety degree rotationof said angle member to adapt the devicefoi' operation 'in different directions; a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mountedarid provided' with fluid openings affording communicat tion with different sides of said'piston; and'flui'd control means operatively associated with the fluid openings in direction of movement of said piston.

A turning device for a bloom having angularly arranged connected iaces extending along its length and disposed for intermittent moveiiientfrom one face to another along a supporti'rig. bed, the combination of: a vertically movable angle member adapted for cooperative engagement with an adjacent edge of the bloom and adapted to move the bloom from a position in which one face was in engagement with the bed toanother in which the succeeding face is in engageinent With the bed When said member is moved in an upward direction; a, movable rod having its upper end pivotally connected to the closedend of said angle member for movement therewithand its lower end securely connected to a piston, said angle member being pivotally mounted to afford rotation of said angle memher to adapt the devicefor operation in different directions; a cylinder in which said'piston is slidably mounted; fluid control means operative ly associated with said cylinder for controlling the direction of movement of said piston; and a spring pressed lever looseiy attached'to said rod and extending above the arms of said angle membfi to indicate the location of said angle member. 3.1 Aturning device for larly'arranged connected faces extending along its length and disposed for intermittentmovementfrom one face to another along a supporting bed, the combination oi; a vertically movable angle member adapted for cooperative engagement with an adjacent edge of the blooni' and adapted to move the bloom from a position in wh h one face was in engagement With the bed to other in which the succeeding faceis in engagemesi' with thefbed when said hiemb'e is eq "anjnew rd direction; a. "movable l said cylinder for controlling the a bloom having anguhaving its upper end pivotally connected to the closed end of said angle member for movement therewith and its lower end securely connected to a piston, said angle member being pivotally mounted to afford relative reversal of said angle member to adapt the device for operation in different directions; a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted and provided with fluid opening affording communication with different sides of said piston; and fluid control means operative- 13 associated with the fluid openings in said cylinder for controllirn, the direction of movement of said piston.

WILLIAM S. PANDOFF.

KEFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fawell Mar. 16,1999 Johnson 1 Nov. 24, 1925 Borden et a1. Jan. 1, 1935 Brown June 4, 1935 Ladd Jan. 17, 1905 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date German Nov. 25, 1932 Swedish May 6, 1895 German Aug. 26, 1935 

